TV Tune-in

It's another Chat & Challenge Night at the TGF forum on Splitcoast Stampers.  I am the lucky host this month and I chose a television themed night.  I hope you can join in on the fun challenges and you have until Monday at noon Central time to enter.

For the first challenge, I have Retro Re-run: Make a card or project inspired by a classic TV show or black and white.  For my sample, I made a card inspired by Happy Days.  As a kid, I used to love watching it and it always makes me laugh.  The card base is Very Vanilla with layers of Really Rust, Taken with Teal, Early Espresso, and Simply Caroline from My Mind's Eye.  I love the classic feel of the papers, and both prints came from the same 6x6 sheet of paper.  I used a Martha Stewart scalloped border and the Tim Holtz weathered clock die.  I used my SMASH label maker for the sentiment, cutting a notch with my scissors.  The image is TGF's 50's Sweethearts digi, colored in copic, then mounted with dimensionals.  The design is based on Deconstructed Sketch #73.  I am also enteriend this into Simon Says dies & punches challenge.  What fun!
The second challenge is "I Love Lucy": make a project based on your favorite TV show past or present.  I have liked many shows over the years, but one of my favorites is still Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  It's quirky and has great one-liners...so much better than the movie!  The card base is Tempting Turquoise with layers of Recollections light grey, Basic Black, cocoa, and Very Vanilla that has been stamped with Recollections Damash Bats in Jet Black Staz-On, and text & blood in Timber Staz-On and Blazing Red Staz-On, then inked with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo distress ink.  The fence is Martha Stewarts spooky gate border punch.  I hand tore the dirt and the headstone is a Cuttlebug die and emboss set.  The image is from TGF's Miss Anya Rain Snow Shine, colored in copic and mounted with dimensionals.  She is also holding a "stake" made from and inked toothpick that has been cut to size.  The sentiment was made by stamping a sentiment from the Artful Inkables "Into the Moonlight" set and punching with a 1 3/8" circle and mounted behind a die from Cuttlebug.  I am also entering this into the TGF Farm Fresh Fridays Buttons & Bows challenge.

Okay, one more....just for fun!  I was watching a Child Stars All Grown Up and about laughed when I saw Punky Brewster.  Oh my, I had forgotten that I used to watch that!  So, here is my Punky card...I used a base that I had left over from another project, then took a piece of white cardstock and used a ton of Smooch Spritz colors all over it.  Next, I used a polaroid stamp from Lawn Fawn and stamped the smiley and sun, coloring it in a kid-like scribble.  The gem cherry was a clearance I found a Michaels.  The sentiment is stamped from TGF's OA Summer Fun.  The image is TGF's Wild Sprout Audrey.  Doesn't she make a perfect Punky?  A card as bright and colorful as Punky herself! 
Come on over to the TGF Forum at Splitcoast and chat, then play along!  Thanks for looking!  April

Beware

This is for Anyone for Anya's Boy, Deconstructed Sketch #71, Simon Says Anything Goes, and Pixie Dust Studio's color challenges.
The base is Old Olive with layers of basic black, pumpkin pie, and retired SU halloween DP.  Card is based on Deconstructing Jen's latest sketch.  The image is TGF's My Guy Ian and it is the first time I have tried the borderless coloring.  I am not overly thrilled but may try it again and see how it turns out.  I used a black multiliner for the face and to sharpen some of the hair and shirt collar.  I also used a white gel pen for the shirt pattern.  The border is Martha Stewart web punch.  The ribbon is satin from Michael's and the charm is a left over from last Halloween.  I know the colors are halloween-ish, but I think it makes a great teen boy card.  Thanks for looking!  April


close up of image

White Out!

This is for TGF's FFF White Out and Simon Says Put a Stamp on It, and Deconstructed Sketch #67 challenges. 

The entire card is made with Stampin' Up's Whisper White cardstock.  I used several layers mixed with Cuttlebug's domino and Swiss Dots embossing folders for texture.  The tag is hand cut and stamped with TGF's Sitting Casual embossed with black powder.  I added a white eyelet at the top of the tag.  The sentiment is from Michael's dollar bin and embossed with black powder, then mounted with dimensionals.  Super simple, but dramatic.  Thanks for looking!  April

Dad

Wow, posts two days in a row...who would have thought!  So this is for TGF's Farm Fresh Challenge masculine; Anyone for Anya's stitching; Deconstructed Sketch Number 55; and Pixie Dust Studio's patterned paper challenges.  Now, normally I would do a PDS image for one of their challenges, but I will be gone for the weekend and was a little pressed for time, so here we are. 
The base is Always Artichoke with layers of Bo Bunny Shabby Princess School Spirit papers, Marina Mist, Pumpkin Pie, and So Saffron.  The image is TGF's Wild Sprout Jeremy and is stamped on Whisper White with Jet Black Staz-On, then trimmed and mounted with dimensionals.  The layer he is mounted on is also mounted with dimesionals to give the ribbon some extra room.  The ribbon is SU's Early Espresso grosgrain and attached with Tim Holtz tiny attacher mini staples.  The sentiment is stamped from a dollar alphabet from Michael's, then punched out using the side of the decorative label punch from SU.  I added a couple of mini brads.  There is stitching around the base patterned paper and zig zag along the blue strip. 
Thanks for looking!  April

White Out

 

This is for TGF's Farm Fresh Friday White Out and Deconstructed Sketch #19 challenges.
Okay, so an all white challenge...hmmmm.  The base is Whisper White with layers embossed with the cuttlebug polka dots and swiss dots folders.  I mounted the base layer then tore down the middle for some contrast.  I wrapped the middle strip with white organza ribbon.  Last, I stamped TGF's Odette (Twilight's Esme) in Versamark, then embossed with antique silver powder and mounted with dimensionals.  I was trying to stay away from black ink...I almost went with Dove Grey, but thought the embossing would have some depth and not let it get lost in the field of white, but not be stark like black ink would.  It was hard to avoid over embellishing to make up for the lack of color, but I sort of like the final product.  Thanks for looking!  April

showing silver

Mystery Monday CASE w/ Amy Young

This is for TGF's Mystery Monday CASE and Deconstructed Sketch #18 challenges.  I chose this design because of the bright colors in Amy's card - lots of pink, turquoise, lime, mauve, razzleberry, orange and white.
The base is Tempting Turquoise with layers of Whisper White, Pear Pizzaz, and scrap designer paper left over from a previous challenge.  The border is Martha Stewart's daisy punch.  The image is TGF's Amelia from the O&A Just for You set.  Isn't she darling?  She is colored in copic markers and cut with the nestabilities classic oval die.  The pear layer is embossed with the cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder.  Each layer has wide straight stitches.  Some white grosgrain finishes the card.  Thanks for looking!  April
 

Sparkle & Shine

This is for TGF's Farm Fresh Friday Digital Getdown and Deconstructed Sketch #16.

 

The base is Basic Black with layers of Old Olive and Cast a Spell retired designer papers.  The banner is made by taking a strip of paper and using a square punch at an angle to notch the ends.  Next, I scored the strip twice on each end 1/2" apart to create the furl, then tacked the ends of the banner, leaving the middle to puff out.  The paper flower is made using a tutorial at Stampin' with Heather.  It is the same designer paper as the card base, but looks darker with  the folds.  The image is TGF's witch digi and is colored in copic markers.  I added little pearl earrings and button on her boots.  The sentiment is from Michael's dollar bin and stamped on Old Olive in Jet Black Staz-On.  I used the Sukura Stardust gel pen to add some bling to "shine", notched like the big banner, attaching with dimensionals.  I chose not to embellish it too much because of the large flower and banner add a lot already.  Sorry the photo shows a bit of shine along her hat.  Thanks for looking!  April

tilted to show dimension

Cupcake Anya

This is for TGF's WOW Photo #3, Deconstructed Sketch, and Paper Sundae's Sundae Bar challenges.  The WOW photo is a white bedroom with accents of turquoise, pinks, orange, yellow, lime, big flowers, etc.  The Sundae Bar challenge requires you to include two of the following:  green, buttons, banners, and twine. 

Base is Tempting Turquoise with layers of Whisper White and Only Orange.  The border is the EK Success Pinking Hearts.  The Whisper White layer is embossed with the polka dot 5x7 folder from Cuttlebug, then inked with Tempting Turquoise ink.  Image is TGF's Cupcake Anya digi and is colored with copic markers.  The tag is Recollections journalling tags from Michael's.  The ribbon is polka dot grosgrain from Michael's and the flowers are from Hobby Lobby's Spare Parts.  The button is tied with some white twine and attached with mini zots glue dots.  I chose to leave off a sentiment for a later time.  Thanks for looking!  April

You're a Sweetie

This is for TGF's Farm Fresh Friday Piece it Together, Deconstructing Jen's sketch, and Stamp Something's embellish something challenges.

The base is Pumpkin Pie with layers from retired Build a Bear print paper from SU and Whisper White.  The layer of blue is Ballet Blue that was run through the cuttlebug embossing folder, inked with Versamark and embossed with blue glitter powder.  The image is TGF's Oliver & Amelia - Just for You and are stamped in Momento Tuxedo Black on Southworth coverstock and colored in Copic markers and paper pieced.  I added touches of Spica pen to Amelia's apron and some Stardust gel to her star.  Her hankerchief, shorts and star are pieced using SU's Yo Yo Yellow and denim from the Paper Studio.  Oliver is paper pieced at his hat and jeans using the same papers and his cookie is Creamy Caramel.  He is cut out and mounted with dimensionals.  The ribbon is Orange grosgrain and the sentiment is cut and embossed with nestabilities.  The buttons are tied with bits of embroidery floss and attached with a glue dot.  Thanks for looking!  April

showing dimension



showing layers

Christmas in July

Many of the challenge blogs are doing Christmas challenges, so I decided to kill a couple of birds with one stone, and use Deconstructing Jen's sketch challenge with Paper Sundaes and Creative Inspirations Christmas challenges. 

 

The card base is Marina Mist and Choclate Chip.  The window is Creamy Caramel and inked with Chestnut Roan cat's eye chalk.  (I already had the base made, then realized that my window was too big, so I had to go back and make a bigger base...whoops!)  I used a 1" square punch and a circle cutter to round the top edge.  The wreath is a circle and scalloped circle punched out from Handsome Hunter.  I used the pinking hearts border punch to punc the little hearts and triangles to make the textured leaves.  I ran the scalloped circle through my xyron, then dipped and pressed the little confetti pieces into the adhesive.  The berries are pearls colored with copic R27 and let dry.  Last, I added a little bow made from a bit of satin ribbon.  The window panes are a recycled piece of plastic that acrylic stamps come attached to and the snowflakes (from SU's Season of Friendship set) is stamped in Whisper White craft and set aside to dry.  The background is Whisper White cardstock that has been torn into rough layers, then edged with snow writer dimensional paint and set with a heat gun.  The tree is from SU's Loads of Love set and is stamped on a scrap of green in Lucky Limeade ink.  I colored the trunk with a colored pencil, cut and mounted on base, adding the pearls and "snow".  The window is mounted on dimensionals to the snow scene.  I added red grosgrain ribbon, mounting the window over that, then adding a present with the hand-written sentiment.  Inside, I stamped a sentiment from Loads of Love.  Thanks for looking!  April



close-up of wreath & background

side vie for dimension

Irritable Grizzly

So here is my entry for Deconstructing Jen's sketch,  Stamp Something's bugs or butterflies and Stamptacular Sunday animal antics challenges.
Card base is forest green general cardstock with layers of brown and the B&T papers are from a stack I got on clearance years ago.  The bottom is ferns, then the plaid and then a splattered watercolor design.  For the half circle, I used a circle cutter.  I then ran a scrap of the green base through a crimper, then tore around the edges to give it a rustic, unfinished look.  The punch is the pawprint border punch from EK Success.  I added some jute twine before adhering to the base, then ran a straight stitch around the entire card.  The image is a Stampin' Up set called Under the Stars.  The sentiment is printed using Almagro font and then punched out using the SU wide oval punch.  The backer is a scrap of the crimped paper cut with the decorative label punch.  I added a scrap of jute twine to the sentiment.  Last, I cut out a couple of colored mosquitos from Under the Stars and mounted them with glue dots and adding a bit of Spica clear sparkle to their wings.  I normally like more dimension, but wanted to add a mailable card to the stash.  Thanks for looking!  April

Laughter

This one is for Deconstructing Jen's sketch #8 and Stamp Something's July Digi challenges. 

The base is the new SU in color, Calypso Coral, and Very Vanilla.  The layered the middle two and then ran it through the cuttlebug with the dotted embossing folder.  I left a bit at the end to add the scalloped border in Whisper White.  I used Early Expresso baker's twine and a button to wrap the corner of the card.  The image is the Japanese Princess from Pixie Dust Studios and is colored with watercolor pencils.  I cut her out and added pearls to her hair, before mounting her and adding the sentiment.  Inside is the full sentiment from SU's Word Play and is cut out with the decorative label punch.  Thanks for looking!  April

Sweet Treat

This card is for Deconstruting Jen's sketch challenge and Pixie Dust Studios Counting Along challenge.

The base is SU's Pear Pizzaz.  The lilac and dark purple are generic cardstock I got at Michael's and the print is from a stack I got ages ago.  Following Jen's sketch, I rounded the corners of the large square layer and then zig-zag stitched around it, after running it though the cuttlebug with the distressed diamond folder.  Then I ran stitches along the straight layer.  Next was a quick spritz with Vanilla Shimmer and Berry Smooch spritz.  (My vanilla sprayer broke, so it is in a mister bottle, but I think it sprays a bit heavy and wild...oh well.)  I cut a slice in the Pear base along the fold to thread some jute twine.  I then threaded it through the sentiment and button, tying it in a bow.  The sentiment is printed on white cardstock and I added the "4 U" rub-on.  The image is a darling pixie from PDS, colored in watercolor pencils, and cut with the deckled Nestabilities die.  I added a few accents with the Sukura Stardust gel pen in clear.    Thanks for looking!  April

Girly wish

This card is for TGF's Wow challenge and Deconstructing Jen's sketch challenge.  I drew from the purple in the photo and used pink as an accent.  I still wanted it to be light and girly, so the pastel colors, pearls and cupcake Anya were great picks.

All papers were scraps that I have been working on using up.  Anya is colored in watercolor pencils with a few touches of sharpie marker.  I chose not to blend Anya's hair.  The sentiment is from Stampin' Up's Word Play.  Some hemp twine finishes the card.  Inside has the lighter cardstock and a couple of strips of the banner papers.  I love how simple and sweet this looks...very girly.  I am really kicking myself for not having Flutter Anya right now, but what can you do???  Thanks for looking!  April

Hot Stuff

This is my entry for TGF's Farm Fresh Friday's "Body Snatchers" and Deconstructing Jen's sketch challenge.

The base is Pumpking Pie layered with Bo Bunny's Pep Rally and Night of Navy cardstock. I used Cricut's Mini Monograms to cut the scallop and inset circle. I used hemp twine and tied off around the circle. The image is a mash-up of TGF's Wild Sprouts Jeremy and Michael. I used Michael's body and Jeremy's head. I did the multi-layers in his arms, face and hair. It looks similar to the Joyce I used in last weeks royalty challenge. The sentiment is from TGF's Roll Call kit and is stamped in Jet Black Staz-On and punched with the designer label punch. I used my fingernail to rough the edges and stapled it to the circle with Tim Holtz's tiny attacher. The scallop circle is on dimensionals to help make space for the twine. Three coordinating brads finish the card. Thanks for looking! April

Wish

This is my entry for Desconstructing Jen's sketch challenge and TGF Monocromatic challenge.

The image is cupcake Anya from TGF and is mounted with dimensionals on layers of Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, and generic patterned paper from Michaels. Anya is colored with water color pencils and highlighted with Clear Stardust gel pen. It is cut out with Nestabilities. I added accents of Very Vanilla. I used CTMH Brown Bag to ink. Ribbon is from Michaels. The ticket and paper clip are from Tim Holtz. Inside is matted with scraps and the sentiment is from Stampin' Up! Thanks for looking! April